U.S. patents available from 1976 to present.
U.S. patent applications available from 2005 to present.

Nerve stimulation for treating spasticity, tremor, muscle weakness, and other motor disorders

Patent 7324853 Issued on January 29, 2008. Estimated Expiration Date: Icon_subject November 5, 2024. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Patent References

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Antidromic pulse generating wave form for collision blocking
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Inventors

Assignee

Application

No. 10981939 filed on 11/05/2004

US Classes:

607/48, Directly or indirectly stimulating motor muscles607/45Treating mental or emotional disorder

Examiners

Primary: Sykes, Angela D.
Assistant: Stoklosa, Joseph

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Foreign Patent References

  • 0 688 577 EP 12/01/1995
  • WO-01/10375 WO 02/01/2001
  • WO-01/10432 WO 02/01/2001
  • WO-01/26729 WO 04/01/2001

International Class

A61N 1/18

Abstract

A method for treating spasticity of a subject is provided, including driving a current into a nerve of the subject that includes one or more sensory fibers, and configuring the current so as to inhibit propagation of action potentials in one or more of the sensory fibers, so as to treat the spasticity. In a preferred embodiment, the sensory fibers include one or more Ia sensory fibers, and configuring the current includes configuring the current so as to inhibit propagation of the action potentials in at least one of the Ia sensory fibers.

Other References

  • Manfredi, M., “Differentiating Blocks of conduction of larger fibers in peripheral nerve by direct current”, Arch. Ital. Biol., vol. 108, pp. 52-71, 1970.
  • Rijkoff, N.J.M., et al., “Selective Stimulation of Small Diameter Nerve Fibers in a Mixed Bundle”, Proceedings of the Annual Project Meeting Sensations/Neuros and Mid Term Review Meeting Neuros, pp. 21-23, Apr. 1999.
  • Zhang, Y., et al., “Optimal Ventricular Rate Slowing During Atrial Fibrillation by Feedback AV Nodal-Selective Vagal Stimulation”, Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol. 282:H1102-H1110.
  • Fitzpatrick, et al. “A Nerve Cuff Design for the Selective Activation and Blocking of Myelinated Nerve Fibres”, Annual Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, vol. 13, No. 2, 1991.
  • Website: http://www.bcm/tmc.edu/neurol/struct/epilep/epilipsyvagus.html, May 31, 2001.
  • Cortese, J.F. “Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Control of Intractable Epileptic Seizures” available at http://www.acience.wayne.edu/˜bio340/StudentPages/corese/, May 31, 2001.
  • U.S.Appl. No. 09-824,682 entitled “Method and Apparatus for Selective Control of Nerve Fibers” filed Apr. 4, 2001.
  • Devor, M. “Pain Networks”, Handbook of Brand Theory and Neural Networks, Ed. M.A. Arbib, MIT Press, p. 698, 1998.
  • Baratta, et al. “Orderly stimulation of Skeletal Muscle Motor Units with Tripolar Nerve Cuff Electrode”, IEEE Transactions of Biomedical Engineering, vol. 36, No. 8, Aug. 1989, pp. 836-843.
  • Rijkhoff, N.J.M., et al. “Orderly recruitment of motoneurons in an acute rabbit model”, 20th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, vol. 20, No. 5, 1998, pp. 2564-2565.
  • Van Den Honert, et al. “A Technique for Collision Block of Peripheral Nerve: Frequency Dependence”, IEEE Transactions of Biomedical Engineering, vol. BME-28, No. 5, May 1981, pp. 379-382.
  • Van Den Honert, et al. “Generation of Unidirectionally Propagated Action Potentials in a Peripheral Nerve By Brief Stimuli”, Science magazine, vol. 206, Dec. 14, 1979, pp. 1311-1312.
  • Sweeney, Jamed D., et al. “A Nerve Cuff Technique for Selective Excitation of Peripheral Nerve Trunk Regions”, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, vol. 37, No. 7, Jul. 1990.
  • Naples, Gregory G., et al. “A Spiral Nerve Cuff Electrode for Peripheral Nerve Stimulation”, IEEE Transactions of Biomedical Engineering, vol. 35, No. 11, Nov. 1998, pp. 905-916.
  • Sweeney, James D., et al. “An Asymmetric Two Electrode Cuff for Generation of Unidirectionally Propagated Action Potentials”, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, vol. BME-33, No. 6, Jun. 1986.
  • Ungar, I. J., et al. “Generation of Unidirectionally Propagating Action Potentials Using a Monopolar Electrode Cuff”, Annals of Biomedical Engineering, vol. 14, pp. 437-450, 1986.
  • U.S. Appl. No. 60/263,834, entitled “Selective Blocking of Nerve Fibers”, filed Jan. 25, 2001.
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